Blinded by Obsession
by Kkristabell
Summary: As Booth and Brennan are hospitalized recovering from a kidnapping & fire evil lurks in the hospital's halls, a secret of Cam's could destroy Brennan's happiness forcing her to settle for second best, and the Jeffersonian and FBI are given shocking news.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: So this is a continuation to a story entitled 'Keep the Memory of My Face, Wipe the Tears Away' but you don't have to have necessarily read that to understand this so… ENJOY!_

Disclaimer: I own nada.

There was a phrase her mother had always told her when she was a child, 'Idle hands are the devils workshop.' She'd worked hard all her life to never be idle, she didn't want to disappoint her mother.

If only other's behaved the way she did, fighting off sin and temptation instead of succumbing to their basic interests. Truth, honor, virginity all were lost, but she was determined to assist as many as she could back on the path to a virtuous life, and if she couldn't save them before they died, they'd simply burn in hell…

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Angela felt refreshed. The crazed murderer who'd kidnapped Brennan, then Booth and left them both for dead in a burning warehouse was dead. The nightmare was over.

After a restful night of sleep, a long hot shower and fresh coffee, she felt almost as good as new. Reaching Brennan's floor she nodded to a few nurses manning their station, slipped quietly into her best friend's room and slowly twisted open the blinds. Brennan didn't stir. The killer had dosed Brennan with liquid heroin in her IV almost murdering her. Now she lay in a coma, her body quietly trying to repair the damage done to it.

Moving close to the bed Angela pulled up a chair, settled down to read a magazine and sip her coffee. She'd just flipped open the front cover of _Allure _when something yellow clutched in the palm of Brennan's hand caught her eye.

Carefully extracting what appeared to be a yellow post-it note, Angela read the words with a chill creeping down her spine.

'Idle hands are the devils workshop.

Repent and be saved while God still

accepts your soul.'

'_It can't be,_' Angela thought frantically. '_This is supposed to all be over, no more notes, no more clues, no more anything!_' She tried to catch her breath. '_Pouerston's dead,'_ she reminded herself.

Despite her reminders of Pouerston's death fear clawed at her throat, desperately she fumbled for her cell phone, dialing Hodgins number.

He answered on the second ring. "Hello?"

"It's not over," Angela told him her voice shaking.

"What's not over?"

"This whole messy thing with Pouerston, the guy who tried to kill Booth and Brennan and now-"

"Whoa, slow down Angela. Pouerston's dead, he can't hurt them anymore."

"Then why is there a note with Brennan?"

"What?"

Angela's voice rose in pitch. "A note! I found a yellow folded up post-it note tucked in Brennan's hand when I came in this morning. It had to be Pouerston right? Before he ended up dead he must've snuck in here and-"

Hodgins low voice interrupted her. "Angela, no. They checked over Brennan during the investigation yesterday, she didn't have any pieces of paper on her."

"Maybe it's a mistake?" Angela asked hopefully. "Maybe the note was meant for another patient and somebody just got the rooms mixed up."

"Maybe," Hodgins echoed doubtfully. "It sounds highly religious, so it's possible some sort of missionary likes to visit the critical patients, try and convert them before their death."

"I guess," she replied uncertainly.

"Although… if this note has nothing to do with Pouerston, if it's not a room mix up or a religious missionary, it could be…"

Angela stopped listening to Hodgins as a code alarm sounded in the next room. Doctors and nurses rushed towards the patient. Angela watched a stricken young man be shoved into the hallway; hands clutching a yellow post-it like the one Angela had found on Brennan.

She interrupted Hodgins. "Just get down here soon. Something doesn't feel right. The last thing I want is another disaster unfolding before our eyes, but I don't think I'm being paranoid." She closed the phone with a 'snap' before heading out toward the young man.

She approached him slowly, offering a tentative smile. He seemed not to notice her, so Angela casually glanced at the paper in his hand. Sure enough the same words she'd found on Brennan's were sprawled across the young man's note as well, in the exact same perfectly scripted writing.

Angela felt chilled; she'd learned long ago that coincidences like the two notes weren't always as innocent as they first appeared...


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: So here is the next part, and now we begin to get back to the B&B core of the story:o) Thanks for your reviews, you know I appreciate every one! ALSO, IF YOU WANT A BREIF (5 paragraph) SUMMARY of the prequel to this fic, just PM me, I have one if anybody's interested!_

Disclaimer: I wish I owned it, but sadly I don't!

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Angela paced the corridor outside Brennan's room. She glanced agitatedly at her watch, Hodgins and Zack had yet to arrive. The patient one room over had been sent to the morgue, the devastated young man dutifully making the phone calls to various relations.

She wanted to ask him about the note, but didn't want to intrude at such an emotional time. Besides, Hodgins had told her not to overreact; she was trying to follow his advice.

After what seemed like an hour, but in truth was merely 27 minutes, Hodgins and Zack arrived. Angela pounced on them immediately, ushering them into Brennan's room where she showed them the note. Hodgins skimmed the wording, as did Zack, but neither seemed particularly alarmed.

Careful not to sound dismissive, Hodgins broached the subject. "This note doesn't seem particularly threatening. No personal references to anything about Dr. Brennan, no alluding to violence. I'll admit the religious rhetoric is a little disturbing, but it seems more of a conversion scare tactic than a direct threat against her."

Angela crossed her arms, uncertain. She looked to Zack waiting for him to chime in with his impressions.

Zack fingered the post-it note. "Hodgins is probably right. There's quite possibly either a staff member, or the like, who feels compelled to try and convert the critical care patients before they pass. Have them repent their sins so their souls can be saved. I don't think it's threatening, it just shows how far some people will go to spread the beliefs of their religion."

"I don't know guys, it all seems so…creepy," Angela said.

"Look Angela, I don't mean to sound condescending, but are you sure your reaction to this note isn't just a projection of everything we had to deal with when we were trying to save Dr. Brennan? I mean we had to decipher meaning from clues and riddles created by a madman. We worked round the clock, and just last night was the first time any of us got what amounts to a normal REM sleep cycle," Hodgins offered.

Angela sighed, looked at Brennan's still form, and shrugged. "Maybe you're right. Everything just got to me more than I thought. Now I'm creating problems where there aren't any because I'm paranoid."

Zack gave a small smile. "It's natural. We're all still a little shook up, plus worried about when Dr. Brennan will wake up. Our stress levels are high so over-reaction to any sort of stressful stimuli is to be expected."

A small laugh escaped Angela, the first in days. "You guys win. I'll let the note go. How about we go see how Booth's doing, get off this floor for a bit?"

"Fine with me."

"Booth'll probably appreciate the company."

The three made their way to the elevators, but Angela couldn't help one last glance back at Brennan's room, just to make sure she was really okay.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"…so you see Agent Booth, this morning we'll switch you to a milder pain killer. It will make you less tired, but still prevent too much of an ache from developing. You're healing quite nicely, the wound shows no signs of infection, and your lung is almost 100 good as new. Stab wounds to the chest are generally nasty, but yours is healing much better than expected," Dr. Green finished. He made a few notations on his patients chart, closely studying his patient.

While Booth was physically healing fine, mentally he seemed broken. He showed no interest in his recovery, spoke only when necessary and spent most of his time muttering beneath his breath. Dr. Green knew he blamed himself for the fate of his partner who lay in a coma, but also knew that his depressed state was detrimental to his recovery.

"Agent Booth? I know you're worried about your partner- Dr. Brennan I believe?" Booth nodded slightly. "Well her condition still hasn't changed, but her vitals are strong and stable, it's probably just a mater of days before she's back with us," Dr. Green informed Booth.

Hearing these words Booth's eyes shot towards the Doctor. "You mean you think she's going to pull through soon?"

"Yes. Now after she wakes up she's going to need to undergo a series of tests to calculate how much brain function, if any, she lost due to the drug interaction, but we are optimistic." Dr. Green smile conspiratorially at Booth. "So I have a deal I'd like to propose to you?"

Booth narrowed his eyes. "A deal?"

"Mmmhmm, a deal. If you do some of your physical therapy, start eating your meals, get a little life back into you, I will arrange for you to transfer to the room next to Dr. Brennan. That way you'll be able to see her, know what's going on at all times, and even visit her in a day or so. Is it a deal?" Dr. Green held his breath hoping Booth would take the bait.

Booth straightened in his bed. "You can arrange for me to be in the room next to her? Even though I'm no longer a critical care patient? I'd be able to see her, sit with her, touch her…"

Dr. Green chuckled. "Slow down there. Yes, you'd be able to do all those things, but only if you live up to your end of the bargain. So?

The edges of Booth's mouth turned up, the first reaction of any type out of him in days. "Deal. Thank you Doctor, you don't know how much-"

He waved off Booth's appreciation. "Don't mention it. I know a love-sick man when I see one. Maybe putting you back with your woman will bring a little spunk back into you!" With a final wave Dr. Green left, whistling as he wandered away.

Booth couldn't believe his good fortune. He'd be the best patient his physical therapist had ever seen, he'd eat like a horse, and be the merriest person in the hospital. If that was all he had to do to be with Brennan he'd conquer the tasks gladly.

He'd missed being near her. Even drugged and semi-conscious he'd felt her absence. He knew he loved her, but hadn't really understood how vital she'd become to his everyday survival until days away from her; he couldn't wait to be able to touch her again, talk to her, tell her how much he loved her…

Angela, Hodgins and Zack stood in the doorway looking warily at each other. Booth lay propped against his pillows with nothing short of a dopey grin on his face. Taking the initiative, Hodgins knocked to get Booth's attention.

Angela smiled. "Are we interrupting," she teased, as Booth finally noticed the trio.

He beamed at her. "Nope, just got some wonderful news! The Doctor says that if I willingly do my physical therapy, eat and improve my disposition, he'll move me to the room next to Brennan's!

"That's awesome, man! Congratulations," Hodgins offered, while Angela and Zack echoed the sentiment.

Booth grinned. "Yeah I'm pretty excited. So how is she? The Doctor said her vitals were strong and such, but…"

"Her color is starting to come back, she's breathing on her own, she seems to be getting stronger by the hour," Angela told him. "You know Brennan, she's a fighter."

A sentimental look passed over Booth's features. "Yes she is."

A moment of silence fell over the group, finally broken by Booth. "So how are you guys holding up?"

"No worse for wear," Hodgins offered.

Angela giggled. "We're all good, still a little sleep deprived but good."

Booth asked a few questions about the kidnapper, Pouerston, and his death, which Zack happily answered while Angela meandered over to the window. She gazed out at the green lawn, the parking garage in the distance and a circling bird in the sky.

Leaning her hip against the sill, she turned back towards the group ready to make a smart reply to a comment by Hodgins, when something small and yellow by the side of Booth's bed caught her eye. Her heart thumped in her chest as adrenaline kicked in.

Trying not to attract attention she casually moved towards Booth's bed idly bending down to swipe the paper off the floor. She stood, quickly reading the words on the paper in the same scripted writing as on the other two notes. She swallowed once, then twice, before clearing her throat to attract attention.

Holding up the paper, she looked at the three men in the room. "Isn't there a saying that third times the charm?"

Zack and Hodgins immediately knew what was on the paper. Booth looked bewildered.

"What is that?" Booth asked. "Why do you guys all look so serious of all of a sudden? What's going on?"

Angela filled him in on the other two notes, watching as Booth's lips formed a tighter and tighter grim line. By the time she was finished he looked anything but happy.

"We don't have enough to prove that anything is going on, but I don't like the fact that so far you've seen three of these things," Booth mentioned.

"So what do we do?" Zack asked.

"We can't alert anyone because we don't know anything, so I guess we'll just have to do a little scouting on our own before we make any solid conclusions," Booth replied.

Angela agreed. "We can start by finding out what the patient in the room next to Brennan's died from, make sure it's nothing suspicious."

"Zack and I could visit the chapel, see if anyone's noticed any extreme religious types hanging around," Hodgins offered.

"Good. I've got to say I'm glad that I'm being transferred closer to Brennan, it'll do wonders for my peace of mind." Booth glanced at the three squints. "Just keep your eyes and ears open for anything that seems off, okay?"

A chorus of agreements met his request, but the topic soon shifted to a debate on the over-zealousness of religious believers…

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'_How dare them,'_ she thought angrily. _'I am here providing a service to the Lord. Helping his lost flock members return to their Father.' _Taking a calming breath she remembered that wrath was one of the seven deadly sins. It wouldn't do to offend the Father. She would deal with the blasphemers with the help of God, smite them where they stood.

Hurrying away she fled to the confines of the chapel, away from impure and wicked people. Dropping to her knees she begged forgiveness for her anger. She waited until others entered the chapel before finishing her prayer and exiting.

She would wait for a sign before she struck again. God had given her one that morning when a cloud had passed over the sun at the exact moment she'd stepped out of her car. She had understood His sign, so she had killed an unrepentant soul. Now it was only a matter of time until He summoned her to do his bidding again…


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Sorry this chapter was so long in coming! Took a little spring break vacation, but now I'm back…. So enjoy and, as always, thank you so much for all your reviews!_

Disclaimer: This is so not mine!

Booth grimaced; reaching above his head he tried to touch his fingertips to his physical therapist's outstretched palm. With a final grunt of exertion Booth collapsed back against the bed glaring daggers at the young man beside his bed.

"Don't worry Agent Booth; it's going to take some time before you regain your full range of motion. You're doing great," his therapist, Randy, informed him with a smile.

His reassurance didn't do much to improve Booth's disposition. "Stop smiling. It's annoying. I sit here like an idiot trying to touch your palm which, by the way, I swear you kept moving further and further away and you seem to enjoy the show!"

Randy tried to smother his grin. "Sorry if I offended you Agent Booth, but a good disposition is key to keeping your patients spirits up. Have a great rest of the day and I'll see you tomorrow morning!" With a wave Randy left a grouchy Booth.

Booth muttered some rather impolite words under his breath as the door closed. Sighing he glanced at the clock beside his bed- 10:00a.m. Only two hours left until he'd be allowed to sit with Brennan, touch her, reassure himself that she was really alive. It had been nothing short of sheer torture to know she was hurt and alone.

Booth let his thoughts wander; a short rap against his door drew his attention. Dr. Green poked his head in, his bald head reflecting the light.

"How's the patient feeling today?" he asked jovially.

Booth shrugged, regretting the movement as his stitches tugged. "Okay, glad to finally have my head clear again. Feeling a little better too, no thanks to that physical therapist you assigned me. I seriously think he enjoys watching people suffer," Booth informed the Doctor.

Dr. Green's chuckle bounced off the walls. He searched his white coat pocket for a pen, making a few notations in Booth's chart. "Randy is one of the best in the hospital. His patient's are known to have an excellent recovery record in terms of mobility and range of motion. He enjoys seeing his patients' progress."

Booth looked anything but convinced. "Sure, but does he have to look so happy while I nearly bust my chest open again?"

Dr. Green was about to burst from suppressed laughter. "I'll tell Randy to be less…chipper. Will that help?"

"Yeah. Thanks Doc." Booth seemed appeased, the frown finally easing from his face.

"Well everything looks good, and now I have a surprise for you," Dr. Green said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Surprise?" Booth craned his neck to look around the room, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"Mmmm-hmmm. Now let's see here." Dr. Green opened the door gesturing down the corridor.

Booth's eyes darted from the Doctor to the door, waiting to see who would appear. A second later Angela came into view carrying a zippered garment bag, plus a miniature toiletries kit. Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks were flushed with excitement. Dropping her bags onto a chair she moved closer, brushing a kiss against Booth's cheek.

"Hi Booth!"

Booth looked from Dr. Green to Angela. "Hey Angela. What's going on?"

Unable to contain herself a minute longer Angela blurted out the news. "Brennan's awake! She's awake, she doesn't seem to have lost any brain function, and she's been asking about you, and…."

The rest of Angela's words were lost on Booth. He simply didn't hear a word she said after "she's been asking about you" because the rest was merely unimportant. Without thinking Booth threw back the covers.

"Where are you going?" Dr. Green shot Booth a stern look.

"To see her. I need to touch her, tell her I'm alright. I need to…" Booth trailed off as Dr. Green held up his hand.

"I understand that, but-"

Booth cut the Doctor off. "No buts. I've sat here in sheer hell, not being well enough or able bodied enough to be with her. Now she's awake, asking about me, and I don't give a damn about hospital policy- I'm going to see her!"

Angela rolled her eyes. "Of course you are. Nobody is saying anything different, but you can't go like that." She gave a speaking look to the hospital gown, the stubble covering his jaw.

"What?" Booth asked confusedly.

Dr. Green chuckled. "I believe the young lady wants to spiffy you up before your first encounter with your young lady."

Angela crossed her arms. "Exactly."

Booth opened his mouth to protest. "Don't even think about it," Angela warned him. "I've got the clothes, the razor, the shaving cream, cologne, roses, the whole nine yards. If you're going to do this, you're doing it right!"

Booth would've pushed his point, but the determined look in Angela's eye told him he'd be better off just acquiescing to her wishes. "Fine," he murmured. "But it cannot take longer than thirty minutes- tops!"

Angela grinned, knowing she'd won the battle. "Deal!" Immediately she reached for one of the bags she'd brought with her.

Dr. Green met Booth's gaze, waggling his eyebrows. "I'm off then. Seeing as you're in capable hands, I'll wish you a happy reunion and be on my way."

Watching him leave the room Angela sighed, "Finally! Now let's get you ready to raise a certain lady's heart-rate, shall we?"

Booth couldn't help but get caught up in Angela's enthusiasm. He sent her a wink. "Let's do this, but let's keep the heart-rate stable, we don't need any further medical complications."

Laughing, Angela handed him shaving cream and a razor, shoving him toward the bathroom. She was determined that Booth and Brennan's reunion be as magical as possible- - even if it was in a hospital.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Brennan shifted nervously against her pillows. Angela had stuck her head in the room briefly, letting her know she has a surprise coming, but Brennan was clueless as to what it could be.

A giant teddy-bear? Hodgins and Zack had already brought her two. More flowers? Her room already looked like a greenhouse. She ransacked her brain, but came up empty. Fussing with her bed-sheet, she hoped she would be prepared for whatever it was.

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Cam rolled her shoulders. She tossed the final few belongings she had into a bag. Today she was being discharged, but she wasn't leaving the hospital until after she spoke with Booth. She recalled the conversation she'd had with a nurse the previous evening. The woman had seemed young, but she'd listened as Cam had poured out the entire sordid story of her relationship with Booth, the pregnancy and her suspicions about Booth's feelings for Brennan.

When Cam had finished, the nurse had told her that family was everything, regardless of the sacrifices made in order to maintain it. Cam had pondered those words all night. Finally, with the light of dawn, she'd come to the conclusion that she and Booth needed to raise this baby together- as a couple- married.

She knew it would take Booth a bit to warm up to the suggestion, but Cam had no doubt that he'd come to see her idea as the best option. The fact that Booth may not be the baby's father was something Cam had decided was better left alone, at least for now. If she wanted to keep Booth, Cam was betting on her pregnancy being the key to doing so.

Grabbing her bag she left her room, making sure to avoid the nurses' station. She didn't want to be wheeled around in a wheelchair - even if it was hospital policy. Waiting for the elevator she could barely contain her excitement.

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She stood back, watching Brennan through the glass pane in the door to her room. She knew the woman she watched was trouble. She'd listened to the patient, Cam, had been her name, talk about how this woman-this Dr. Brennan- was destroying her baby's chance for a family.

The woman in the shadows felt her blood boil. Creatures that destroyed families should be purged from the earth. She wanted to do it now, snuff out the life that flowed though Dr. Brennan's veins but she knew better, she knew to wait for a sign.

Glancing around she smiled to a passing visitor. She would wait for a sign to commit the act, but she already had her sinner chosen…

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	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Thank you guys all so much for your reviews! I know I say it time and time again,_ _BUT I really do love to read them and appreciate them!_

Disclaimer: Not mine…_sniffle_

Booth glanced down at Angela's hands busily adjusting the few shirt buttons he'd missed. It felt strange to have a woman do something like this for him. He hadn't been this taken care of in…well, since he was a little boy and his mother had helped him dress in the mornings for school.

He smiled at the top of Angela's head. He'd always been aware that she was Brennan's best friend, but he was only now realizing how special that friendship truly was.

"You're pretty good at all this romantic planning stuff. Sure you shouldn't open a matchmaking service?" Booth teased.

Angela glanced up, brown eyes sparkling with mischief. "Don't think I haven't thought about it," she retorted.

Taking a step back she eyed Booth critically. The khakis sat perfectly on his hips, a wide brown belt anchoring them in place. The soft, button down shirt that hinted of moss green complemented Booth's walnut color hair, and coffee eyes.

The final touch was a pair of loafers, which Booth had protested wearing. Angela reassured him that they looked exactly right with the outfit, and, no, he didn't look 'preppy' as he'd called it.

Giving Booth one last top-to-bottom perusal Angela winked. "Could be I'm biased, but you look hot!"

Booth felt warm around his collar at Angela's blatant statement. He gruffly cleared his throat.

Noticing his uneasiness, Angela's smile only widened. "Alright, now the last thing you need before going to see Brennan is…"

Reaching inside the only bag left untouched on the floor she removed an enormous bouquet of crimson red, delicate pink and snowy white roses. Deep green fern leaves trailed from the bouquet, which was tied with a shiny green ribbon, the exact shade of Booth's shirt.

He stared at the bouquet for so long, Angela began to get nervous. Has she gone too far? Was all this more than Booth was ready for? She took a deep breath, trying to ease some of her nerves.

"Uh…I didn't know which ones would be right…I mean red is classic, but pink represents sweetness which….okay well the white is for peace and tranquility with everything you guys went through…" Angela stumbled through the words, finally falling silent. She mentally kicked herself for rushing ahead with one of her 'ideas' without first talking to Booth.

Listening to Angela stumble, Booth wanted to reassure her that she'd made a good choice with the flowers, but his throat was too emotionally clogged to speak.

The roses represented every aspect of his emotional ties to Brennan. The flourishing red blossoms seemed as strong and vital as the love he felt for her with every beat of his heart. The pink flowers appeared flirtatious, peeking around from behind their red and white siblings, but too hesitant to emerge completely, in the same way Booth had originally been timid about admitting his attraction. The pristine white blooms stood proud, defying anyone to tell them they were not as impressive as their red counterparts, much as Booth would defy anyone who voiced disapproval at his, or what he hoped would be, the beginning of a life with Brennan.

Realizing he'd been lost in his thoughts so long, that Angela's face had permanently contorted into a worried expression, he stepped toward the bouquet. Reaching out a tentative forefinger, Booth traced the edge of a petal.

"Angela, they're beautiful. Exactly what I would have wanted if I had chosen them myself," he told her softly.

Angela breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks. I'm glad you like them."

A gentleness Angela had never seen before stole over Booth's features. "You're an amazing person and an even better best friend. Bones is really lucky to have you. I'm not sure how I'll ever be able to repay you for this…" Booth let the rest of the statement drift away.

Pressing the bouquet into his hands, Angela shook her head. "Just make her happy Booth, just make her happy. She's waited for you, at times unknowingly, but I've seen it all along. She cares for you, her eyes change the minute you step into a room, they brighten, sparkle, and come alive. She doesn't want to need you, doesn't want to depend on you because she's afraid you'll let her down, but there's a part of her that's been craving this deeper connection since the moment you met."

Booth smiled slowly. "I promise, I'll do everything I can to make her the happiest female you know."

Angela nodded in approval. "In that case, get a move on, because there is one very anxious, Temperance Brennan, in the next room who is desperate to lay eyes on her knight in shining armor!"

"Yes ma'am," Booth teased. He shuffled towards the door, shooting Angela one last thankful glance.

As he disappeared, Angela heard him knock faintly on Brennan's door, and her soft reply to enter.

Resisting her urge to eavesdrop, Angela settled into a chair to wait until it was appropriate to pounce on Brennan, and glean all the details of what had transpired between her and Booth.

She had just pulled a copy of _Self_ out of her purse, and gotten halfway through an article on what foods battled cellulite, when the door hastily opened. Looking up in surprise Angela's eyes beheld Cam.

It was rude, it would shame Miss. Manners, and it definitely wasn't the way to speak to her boss, but the first thoughts that popped into Angela's head, were the exact words that rolled off her tongue.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?"


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Sorry this chapter was entirely too long in being posted. I had a personal/family crisis that took up much of my time over the past couple months, but am trying to move past the bad stuff and continue with my life. Hope you like this chapter, and thanks for still reading after all this time!_

Disclaimer: I own nada.

Cam blinked, taken back by Angela's questions. "I was looking for Booth. What are _you _doing here?"

Angela kept her reply vague. "I was just…visiting."

"Oh. That's nice of you. So where is Booth anyway?" Cam took inventory of the room, noting the empty restroom, the hospital gown and robe tossed on the bed.

Cam wasn't stupid. Angela was well aware of that fact, which put her in a precarious position. She was caught between telling a complete fabrication that Cam would inevitably see through, or telling the truth. She went with option 'B'. "He's next door checking on Brennan. She woke up."

"She did," Cam exclaimed. "That's wonderful! Did they say how much longer she'd have to remain here?"

Angela shook her head. "No, not yet." Trying not to look surprised at Cam's genuine show of support for Brennan, Angela shifted nervously in her seat. She couldn't put her finger on it, but for some reason she didn't think Cam's reason's for coming to see Booth were innocent.

"So how's the…pregnancy?"

"Good."

"Have you decided what to do yet?"

"Yes."

"That's good."

The stilted conversation lapsed. Cam became edgier the longer she waited. Finally her patience lapsed.

"How long does it take him to check on her?" she snapped. "I need to discuss something important with him!" Instinctively Cam's hand moved to rest over her still relatively flat stomach. Angela caught the gesture and distress filled her brown eyes.

"You're going to tell him about the baby… knowing that there's a chance it might not be his? How could you do something so cruel?"

Surprise, then anger flittered across Cam's face. "It's none of your business. This is between Booth and-"

"Me," Angela finished for her boss. "Because, Cam, I know that the baby might not be his, and if you tell him without being sure of the paternity, I'll make sure he knows there were other donators."

"I'm surprised by you Angela. I would've thought these types of threats were beneath you. That you had a stronger character than to resort to blackmail," Cam taunted. She was quickly losing ground.

"Save it," Angela replied with a glare. "I won't watch you trick Booth into thinking that this is his baby, only to be devastated when a paternity test reveals otherwise!"

Furious, Cam spoke without thinking. "I wasn't planning on having a test done!"

The room plunged into silence, both women shocked by the admission. Minutes ticked by, finally broken by Angela's quiet voice. "You would trick him into believing the baby is his, all to keep Booth attached to you for the rest of your lives?"

"A baby binds people. He could date whoever he wanted, sleep with them, whatever. It wouldn't matter because one phone call from me would bring him back to where he belongs, with his family." Cam's eyes seemed unusually bright.

"What happened to you? What happened to the Cam who made her own way, who didn't let a man, any man, dictate how she lived the rest of her life? Are you hearing yourself? Do you even realize how obsessive and crazy you actually sound?"

As if from a distance, Cam heard Angela's questions. She felt trappedWhat was she doing? It all seemed so fuzzy. It had made sense before, but now it all seemed to fade…

"Oh my god, Cam? Cam!" Angela dropped to her knees next to the woman who lay passed out on the floor. Shaking her shoulders she received no response.

Grabbing the door Angela yanked it open. "Help! Please, nurse! Help!"

Letting the door swing shut, Angela dropped back next to Cam. Her body felt hot to the touch, almost scorching. Two nurses rushed in with a doctor. Together they maneuvered Cam onto a stretcher carting her out of the room.

Angela remained frozen to the floor. It had all happened so quickly. One minute she'd been arguing with Cam, the next the woman had collapsed. Angela felt pressure build behind her eyes and knew a headache was coming. Just when things started to get normal, something else happened that turned everything topsy-turvey again.

She levered herself off the floor, curling up the chair she had previously vacated. She heard the door open. Slowly she glanced up, groaning when she met a pair of familiar, piercing, green eyes, attached to a very masculine chiseled jaw line.

Closing her eyes against the visitor, Angela made a small sound of protest, slipping further down in her chair.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Booth half sat on the edge of Brennan's bed. With his injuries, the chair would have undoubtedly been more comfortable, but he couldn't bear to be that far away.

The roses filled up the bedside table, their scent drifting on the air. Her reaction to the flowers had been priceless, the only time he'd ever remembered her being speechless.

Booth had been mesmerized at the glow he saw in her cheeks. After seeing her so pale and lifeless, he thought she'd never looked more beautiful than when he'd entered the room. The two had soaked up being in each other's presence, enjoying their banter, commenting on the events that had transpired, and generally being thankful they had both survived.

Several long minutes into their visit, they'd discussed everything except what Booth wanted to talk about. Every time he broached the subject of 'them' she subtly changed the topic.

"Why do you keep avoiding me?" Booth asked.

Brennan looked up at him surprised. "Booth, I'm not avoiding you, but…"

"But," Booth prodded.

She sighed. "Nothing. It's nothing."

Booth frowned. "You seem more than a little unwilling. Is it me, have I misinterpreted something?" His body tensed, waiting for the rejection he was afraid would follow.

Brennan chuckled softly. "No, it's nothing like that. It's all…," she gestured around her. "…this."

Slowly Booth looked at the room through Brennan's eyes. Machines beeped, the scent of antiseptic competed with the roses. Fluorescent lighting cast an eerie glow that the sun entering through the window couldn't compensate for and the room was sterile, almost unwelcoming in its functionality.

Booth finished his perusal letting his gaze come to rest on Brennan. She squirmed under the intensity in his eyes. Leaning down he brushed a soft kiss against her lips.

Brennan's lips tingled with fire. It amazed her how one little kiss could make her want so much more, and not just on a physical level.

Booth pulled back. "I understand. We'll wait, hopefully not too long, but at least until we're out of here." His eyes warmed at her thankful expression.

She reached up, resting her palm against his cheek. "Booth, thanks for understanding. It's not you, I promise. I just want to remember the first time we say 'those words' in a special place. Somewhere that doesn't remind me how close I came to dying, or all the bad stuff that happened. It's enough for the moment that I can see it in your eyes, and I hope you can see it in mine."

Booth smiled. "I see it. Trust me sweetheart, I see it."

Brennan blushed beneath his knowing look. Reluctantly, Booth stood. "I'm gonna go climb back into bed before I get too tired, but I promise I'll be back soon."

Brushing a stray hair off her cheek, before kissing her forehead he gave a wink and left, feeling like he was walking on air.

Brennan couldn't help the school-girl smile that stole across her face the minute he left. Snuggling under the blankets, she wondered how it was possible to be so happy. She'd never believed in the magic of love, but she was seriously starting to reconsider.

Part of her still only tentatively believed Booth actually loved her; the other part couldn't believe she'd survived this long without his kisses. Smothering a quick laugh with her pillow, Brennan wondered if life could get any better.


End file.
